I carry your heart with me
by Casabella
Summary: My take on how Season 3 will end..So it was done and now Damon had to go.. he couldn't stand to be around when Elena gave her heart back to his brother..


So it was done. Klaus had been brought to his knees- they would have no more trouble from him.

Stefan had found his humanity, something Damon doubted had ever actually disappeared. Stefan was too good to have it disappear all together. Stefan the stable, loyal, perfect Brother... Stefan's humanity should have never been in doubt.

Well no need dwelling on that now, Stefan was back.. And had once again taken his place at the top of the pecking order.

The Sheriff, Mayor Lockwood and all the people of Mystic falls would sleep peacefully tonight because of Stefan's Heroic act.

Jeremy was on his way home. Bonnie had unlocked more of her power and had her mom back. Alaric had found love. Caroline and Tyler had had an emotional reunion when the battle had finished. Matt was packing his bags and moving off to College to start a new life away from all the supernatural.

Everything in Mystic Falls was how it should be...

And then he thought of her... He was glad she was safe, and would be safe from now on. Voices could be heard from upstairs, voices Damon could not bear to hear- he took one more look around and slowly made his way to the door.

It was inevitable that once Stefan revealed his humanity that Elena would run to him with open arms. Damon kicked himself when he thought about how he had actually believed that he'd had a tiny bit of Elena's heart. The reality was that girls like Elena never gave their hearts to boys like Damon. Elena was all about what was good, right and just- Damon was the opposite of those.

Closing his eyes Damon took one last breathe in- taking her scent with him...

"Goodbye Elena" Damon Whispered as he walked out into the night...

Damon told himself not to look back. That looking back would make the steps ahead even harder then what they were. But sometimes the heart out powers the mind and he stopped and turned.

He looked up- he saw the faint glow of light coming from a upstairs window, Stefan's window. He saw two silhouettes standing there, close as two people could be... And his heart ached. Damon willed himself to look away.

Just as he was turning away he noticed a flicker of the curtain. And because of this observation his head finally won the battle with his heart and quickly started to move on, not wanting to be caught.

He had only been walking for a few moments but vampires can move at a rapid speed and had already gotten to the edge of the woods.

Damon had returned to Mystic Falls almost two years ago through this exact part of the woods. Back then he had been so hell bent on destruction, so full of anger and revenge. What a different 'Damon' it was standing here now?

She had changed him, actually changed wasn't the word- She had returned the pre vampire Damon. He had everything to be thankful to her. He would spend the rest of eternity being thankful for her... but only from afar.

"So long Mystic falls... It's been a BLAST!" Damon said as his foot stepped onto the plush grass.

"DAMON!...WAIT!" a voice screamed out from behind.

Damon didn't dare turn around. He couldn't bear the thought of having to look into those big beautiful brown eyes and explain to her the reason he was leaving and just couldn't stay.

"Damon" the voice called again... This time he could feel her standing just behind him.

"Elena... I'm kinda on a time schedule here..." Damon said, still not turning around.

"A schedule for what?" Elena asked, sounding puffed from all the running.

"For the rest of my life, for the next chapter, next epic story...etc...Etc... You see the theme I'm going with here?" Damon replied.

"Damon!- look at me!" Elena said dismissing Damon's last statement.

"Ahhh.. No Elena... no can't do!.. Now run off back to Stefan... I'm sure you two have heaps of catching up to do" – there it was Damon thought to himself- there was 'cold Damon' it was just what was needed to get Elena back inside with Stefan where she belonged.

Elena moved forward and stood right in front of him, a move that Damon hadn't anticipated.

Elena repeated herself "Damon Look at me"

And once again the battle between his heart and mind returned and once again his heart prevailed. And like always the connection was magical.

"Now.. Where are you going?" Elena asked now that she had his attention.

"I don't know.. New Orleans? Australia...Sweden... have not decided on it yet" Damon answered.

"So what? You were just going to leave... is that it? No goodbye? No explanation? "Elena asked tears welling up in her eyes.

"YEAH that's pretty much it! Hit the nail on the head this time Elena..."

"STOP!" E lena said grabbing the sides of his face with her hands.

"Stop it ... Damon I know you ... your hurting and this is your cover. But it's me your with Damon.. You know I know the real you.. You don't need to act with me remember? We've been through so much together... You can't just leave..." Elena's voice shook with the last few words.

"Elena... You're shivering... You're cold... Go back inside" Damon said placing his own hands on top of Elena's intending to remove hers from his face. But the moment their hands made contact, and he felt the warmth- the front he so proudly thought he could hold- crumbled down.

"Elena... I can't stay here... I can't watch the two of you... I just couldn't bare it. I spent a century in love with a girl that gave her heart to my brother- I can't do it again". And this time it was Damon's eyes that filled with tears.

"You don't have too" Elena answered moving her hands so that her fingers became entwined with Damon's.

"So you'll let me go then?" Damon asked somehow pained that the fight was settled so easily.

"If you really want to go... I can't stop you.. I'm not going to make you stay.. I would never do that to you" Elena replied.

"You're too good Elena. How can so much light and love come from one person? My brother is a lucky man..." and with that Damon leant over and kissed Elena on the Forehead-

"Goodbye Elena" – He whispered again for the second time that night.

"I just got to say one last thing.. Because I don't think we are clear on a few things...I LOVE STEFAN... I think I always will... but Damon... I'm IN LOVE WITH YOU... I'm completely and utterly in love with you... The kind of love that's powerful and takes over... The kind of love that you have no control over.. That hits you no matter how hard you try to deny or fight it... Because once it happens, that's it- it's there. The fights, the tears it doesn't matter cause at the end of it all- there's just love!- I just thought you should know that before you walk out of my life"

Damon stood there, glued to the spot. He could not only hear Elena's heart beating- he felt it. Bringing his had up to his chest he finally knew... He had her heart... He'd carried it all along.

And then once again she was in front of him and this time he grabbed onto her and this time he would never let her go...


End file.
